Erlqueen--The Order of the Phoenix
by firelily18
Summary: Harry Potter comes into a very powerful inheritance on his fifteenth birthday which breaks a curse that has been placed upon him from the day he was born. How will the Wizarding World handle the Girl-Who-Lived, who's a splitting image of Lily now, and the first Erlqueen in seven centuries? Especially when Voldemort's the Erlking? Loosely based on Der Erlkonig. Fem!Harry.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter or Der Erlkonig. As you can see I changed some things from the original storyline. Enjoy it anyway!**

It was a hot, humid July day. Harry's birthday.

Harry Potter had been awake for hours laying in his bed recovering from a nightmare he had the night before. Harry was back in the graveyard only this time Cedric was with him and Voldemort hit him with the Avada Kedavra curse. The sight of Cedric's lifeless face brought Harry screaming back to reality.

As soon as he woke up and shook off images from the terrible dream, he reminded himself that Cedric was still alive. He had never ever entered the graveyard with Harry, though it was a very, _very_ close call. Harry had offered him to take the cup together on the count of three, that it would still be a Hogwarts victory, Cedric agreed but at the very last millisecond backed out. Harry still remembered the shocked look on Cedric's face when Harry was Portkeyed out of there.

When Harry was back at Hogwarts and was allowed visitors, Cedric was the one of the first people to come and see him.

'It just wasn't fair.' Cedric had told Harry when he had asked why he pulled his hand back. 'You had saved me with the Dragon, the Mermaids, and the Labyrinth. If it wasn't for you I would of been dead long ago.'

And he would of been dead if he grabbed that Portkey with Harry. There was no doubt in his mind that Voldemort would have killed him.

Cedric wasn't a pureblood.

"GET UP YOU LAZY USELESS BOY!"

His Aunt's voice jarred him from his memories. Harry glanced at the clock beside his bed.

6:00 a.m. On the Dot.

Harry signed. Couldn't he get a little rest on his birthday?

"GET UP NOW!"

Guess not.

"I'm up!" He groaned out, sliding from his bed. "I'm up!"

Harry quickly washed, got dressed, and headed downstairs to make breakfast. He spent a good half hour cooking for the Dursleys. By the time he was done it was a quarter to seven and he was famished.

As soon as the Dursleys piled in the kitchen, with not so much as a 'Thank you' or a 'Happy Birthday' toward him, Harry made his way up to his room. He didn't feel like being insulted by the Dursleys today and knew from over a decade of living with them that he wasn't even welcome there.

He was eating in his bed with Hedwig snacking on some bacon Harry had gave her beside him when he sudden saw Dudley's massive form in his doorway.

Why the hell didn't Harry just shut the door?

"Didn't see those freaky friends of yours or your godfather last night." Dudley smugly said as Harry glared at him. "They finally ditched you?"

Dudley's words hurt more than he knew. Today was his birthday and no one was here to visit him or spirit him away.

No one. Not Ron and Hermione, not even Sirius although he promised to the day before his birthday.

To top it all off no one was answering any of his questions about Voldemort or what's going on with the Wizarding World. Not even Sirius's letters which shocked Harry the most. And Dumbledore, Dumbledore wasn't answering Harry's letters at all.

Harry felt betrayed and abandoned.

And looking now at Dudley's smirk, Harry felt rage build up inside him like a hurricane.

He was about to explode on him when suddenly the most excruciating agony like he's never felt before spread like wildfire throughout his entire body.

It was a million times worse than the Cruciatus Curse and Harry had plenty of experience on that.

The last thing Harry remembered was Dudley's petrified face, Hedwig's frantic shrieks, and his clock reading 7:00a.m. before darkness overcame him.

.

.

Harry felt like he was in a dark black fog. He couldn't feel anything and he couldn't see anything.

But he could hear some things. Snippets of conversations. He could also recognize their voices.

.

.

"-unnaturalness out of my house!" Uncle Vernon's loud voice.

"Dudley don't touch her!" Aunt Petunia's shrill voice.

"She's pretty." Dudley's voice.

"She's your cousin!" Aunt Petunia's voice again.

"She can't be Harry." Dudley's voice again. "Harry's a boy and he's ugly."

.

.

"-it's all true." Dumbledore's sad voice.

"Oh my God, and You-Know-Who's a-" Mrs. Weasley's voice.

"I'm afraid so." Dumbledore's voice again.

"That poor child." Mrs. Weasley's sad voice.

.

.

"-like all of James has been drained out of hi-her." Remus's voice.

"Harry still has James's…James's…hair!" Sirius's voice.

"Well the color yes." Remus's voice again. "But James had untidy hair that always tended to stick in the back just like Harry's used to. But now he-she has thick, neat hair just like Lily's. Harry is truly her mother's daughter now. Well except her skin tone. She gets that from her grandmother."

" I don't care how much Harry looks like Lily or Victoria now!" Sirius's voice again. "Harry's still James's son at heart!"

.

.

"-believe it. Harry's a…_girl_ now." Ron's shocked voice.

"I can't believe it either." Hermione's awed voice. "An Erlqueen right in front of me."

"Do you, uh, think they could ever change Harry back into a man again permanently this time?" Ron's voice again.

"Of course not Ronald!" Hermione's voice again. "The only spell that can gender change requires two casters, only lasts until the person hits seventeen, and it's suicide! Besides now that Harry's an Erlqueen the spell would be useless on hi-her. And by the time the transformation is done, Harry won't even remember ever being a boy."

.

.

"-Death Eating scumbag out of my house!" Sirius's angry voice.

"Sirius calm down!" Mrs. Weasley's voice. "Do you want to wake up Harry?"

"Oh honestly Black." Snape's voice. "I'm sure Potter as a female looks no different than…"

"There you saw hi-her for your dark master." Sirius's voice again. "Now get out!"

.

.

"-must be returned to the Dursleys." Dumbledore's firm voice.

"But they-" Sirius's voice.

"It is the safest place for her." Dumbledore's voice again. "Harry cannot be at privacy to the Order. It's too dangerous for her and for us."

"Fine." Sirius's voice again. "But I'm going with her!"

.

.

"-all true my lord." Snape's voice.

"Born on the seventh month, the seventh day, the seventh hour. The Erlqueen. When the wheel is finished uniting with her the Erlking will have eternal power." Voldemort's cold voice. "Cassandra's prophecy."

"But what about the other prophecy my lord?" Snape's voice again.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches, born to those who have thrice defied him, born on the seventh day of the seventh month." Voldemort's voice again. "Is that not what you heard Severus?"

.

.

Harry Potter felt a hand run through her raven locks as she came out of her comatose. The voices faded away as she prepared to wake out of her slumber. It felt like she had been sleeping for days. She could hear a man's sign and recognized the voice.

"Sirius?" Harry said as she opened her vivid green eyes.

Grey eyes stared back at her.

"Sirius!" Harry exclaimed, pulling him into a hug. "I knew you would come!"

Sirius pulled her back by her shoulders and stared at her fiercely.

"Harry who are your dormmates?"

What an incredibly strange thing to say. Harry looked at Sirius with a confused expression on her face. But he looked serious about it so she answered him.

"Well Hermione, Lavender, Parvati, and Fay of course." Her godfather's expression just suddenly fell to absolute sorrow. "Sirius what's wrong? Did something happen?"

_**Author's Note: I wanted to try my hand at the whole gender change thing. Review if you like (Especially if you fav/story alert)! And if you don't, well don't review! **_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter! I'll let you know if it ever happens though! Enjoy!**

The room was dreary and dark.

Four teenaged female figures stood with their heads bowed and their hands shaking at their sides. Voldemort stood beside them, circling them as if looking for weaknesses or disloyalty, and then finally said.

"I am sure you are all well aware of Harry Potter's recent inheritance." There was a long pause. "Well?"

"Yes my Lord." They all answered simultaneously.

"That's better." Voldemort cooly replied. "Now as you can see my plans for Harry Potter have changed. As I have informed your parents, I do not want Harry Potter harmed-"

Suddenly one of the girls stepped forward and spoke up.

"But my Lord-"

"Avada Kedavra."

A flash of green light from Voldemort's wand hit her right in her center. She fell to the floor dead. Nagini slithered from the shadows and started feasting on her flesh.

"As I was saying Harry Potter is _not_ to be harmed." Voldemort nonchalantly continued as Nagini noisily devoured the body. "Since she is an Erlqueen now, she will be the target of many assassination and kidnapping attempts. Many men will want to claim her as their own and unfortunately I cannot protect her while she's at school. So that being I am appointing you her head protectors at Hogwarts. You will be with her at all hours, wherever she goes and whatever she does you three are to be there, you are _never_ to let her out of your sight." Voldemort growled at them. "You know what the penalty would be should you fail in the slightest?"

"Yes my Lord." They all said again.

Voldemort coldly smiled.

"Good."

Suddenly a clear, yet obviously fearful, voice rang out from one of the girls.

"My Lord permission to speak?"

Voldemort turned to her and appeared to study her for a moment.

"Permission granted." He finally said.

The girl continued, terror still ringing in her voice, her hands still shaking at her sides.

"How are we to protect Potter if we live in separate houses? If we have separate classes?"

"You will simply have to share her dormitory and her classes."

"But my Lord only Griffindors are allowed to share her dormitory and full class schedule."

"_Only_ Griffindors?" He silkily asked, his wand pointing her chin upward. "Are you positive of that?"

The girl gulped and stuttered in fear but still continued.

"Y-y-yes my L-lord o-only-"

The girl paused for a moment finally grasping what Voldemort was asking of her, of all of them. She shut her eyes in dawning horror.

Voldemort coldly smiled back at her expression. He waved his wand and three teenaged male figures appeared bound in magical chains.

"Oh don't be so saddened Ms. Parkinson." He nonchalantly told her, idly twirling his wand. "It's only until Harry finishes the cycles. After that she's mine and you will be free from your duties to her."

.

.

Harry Potter shot up out her bed like lightning, her hand on her scar. Sirius, who was sleeping next to her as Padfoot, quickly jolted up at the disturbance and changed back into a man.

"Harry what's wrong?" Sirius worriedly asked her, staring at her with grey eyes full of concern. "What did you see?"

"I think…" Harry paused for a long while, trying hard to remember the contents of her dream as Sirius waited anxiously. Harry finally blurted. "I think Pansy just married Dean."

Sirius's face was horrified.

_**Author's Note: Reviews please (Especially if you fav or alert) but no flames! Flames will have marshmallows roasted over them!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: I do not nor have I ever owned Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does. Enjoy the chapter anyway!**_

It seems Fudge was determined to have Harry killed.

It was the night before school began and Harry Potter was gazing outside Griffindor Tower wondering what her friends would think of her now as a female. Well of course Ron and Hermione already saw her as a female, she spent seven weeks in a comatose recovering from the curse her grandparents put upon her, but they were never around her when she was conscious. As soon as she woke up, Sirius spirited her away to Hogwarts where she was checked out by Poppy to make sure she was completely recovered by the ordeal. She asked her a lot of questions too, the major one being did she remember anything as a male. And the answer to her was the same answer she gave Sirius.

She didn't remember anything about being a boy because she was always a girl.

But she had to admit a lot of memories of hers were blurred, lost or forgotten. A great example being bathroom trips and her dormitory. Or what she believed was her dormitory. And yet she couldn't remember Hermione or any other doormats sleeping patterns but she remembered Ron snored and Seamus insistent muttering.

It was weird but it always was her dormitory with Hermione, Fay, Lavender, and Parvati since first year.

Poppy told her that there was nothing wrong with that, that it was her magic's way of defending her mind. She said if she really remembered what it was like being a male for the past fifteen years, it would drive her to insanity. And Harry Potter already wasn't far from insanity.

With her nightmares of Voldemort, her flashes into his mind of him killing that poor Tracey girl, and facing the fact that she was an Erlqueen desired by him so much that he would forcibly bond in marriage three of her dormmates with _Slytherin_ girls in order to keep an eye on her is enough to drive anyone into the nuthouse. Now she had to handle maybe losing her best friend because she was no longer the male best friend he expected. Hermione she was pretty sure would be O.K. with it but Ron she wasn't too certain. Ron and her always had a special connection that went beyond Hermione and now Harry was told it was because she was a boy.

Harry felt like she was in the twilight zone. Everything was different. Everything was strange.

Even Sirius treated her differently. Sometimes he looked at her with such sadness in his eyes that she would feel her heart give out. Most of the time he barely had two words to say to her no matter how hard she tried to strike up a conversation. And somedays he just gazed into her emerald eyes, as if desperately looking for something he yearned for.

It was obvious she was no longer the godchild he wanted.

And to top that off with Dumbledore avoiding her at every turn it was enough to frustrate Harry to new levels. Why on earth was Dumbledore avoiding her? She asked Sirius why but he just shrugged and told her he was busy as a Headmaster and with Fudge. Harry wanted to understand but she couldn't. Dumbledore was _deliberately_ avoiding her, of that she was positive of. Was it because she was no longer a he? Or because she was now an Erlqueen? It was all just so unbelievably saddening to Harry. She literally had no one to talk to, all the teachers were gone for her 'safety.' She had Hedwig but she was off flying most of the time and it wasn't the same as human contact. Only Poppy was here and she treated her like a guinea pig. She has never felt this depressed since before she came to Hogwarts. And to top it all off Hagrid wasn't here to vent to, that is assuming of course he didn't mind Harry's change to a female.

"Harry."

Harry was snapped out of her depressive thoughts when she heard Sirius's voice. She turned around and saw not only Sirius but Percy (Looking pretty much the same as she saw him a couple of months ago) and _Dumbledore_ standing in middle of her dormitory. A huge grin came to her face at the sight of him. But then she saw his eyes.

They were cold and impassive.

Harry felt the smile fall from her face. Sirius walked over to Harry's side.

"Percy tell her." Sirius said, gesturing Percy to talk.

Percy straightened and said, a bit nervously.

"I stumbled upon adoption papers concerning you and Minister Fudge."

Harry furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"Fudge is trying to adopt me?" Harry questioned absolutely bewildered. "Why?"

Sirius signed and told her.

"Because if Fudge adopts you Harry you will be under his control-"

Suddenly everything clicked in her mind.

"And he'll pull me out of Hogwarts." Harry finished, her eyes briefly closing in horror.

"At the very least." Sirius gritted out, his eyes flashing in fury.

"How can he even do that?" Harry asked, gazing over from Sirius to Percy. "Don't my Aunt and Uncle have custody over me?"

"He has declared your Aunt and Uncle incompetent." Percy said.

"Incompetent?"

"Due to abuse."

"Oh God…" Harry whispered, her words to the Minister from third year coming back to haunt her. "But what about Sirius? He's my godfather-"

"Also incompetent." Percy bluntly said. "He's spent twelve years in Azkaban and still retains nightmares over it. Unfit parent."

She saw Sirius's eyes narrow at Percy's words and his fists clench in anger. She laid a hand on his shoulder in comfort.

"What about your parents?" She asked Percy softly, her worried green eyes on Sirius's form.

"Too poor." Percy said, shaking his head. "Fudge will say they're just taking you in for the money. He will declare them incompetent in a second."

"Besides by the time Arthur and Molly fill out the papers," Sirius told her with a sign. "Fudge will have already completed his adoption process."

Fudge won. He won. There was no way in the world she could fight the abuse charge, especially since she told it to him and it was technically true, and there was no way she could have another family file for adoption before him.

And Harry was done for if Fudge took her.

"So what now?" She asked desperately, ready to rip her hair out in frustration, the room closing in on her, Dumbledore's cold stare driving her mad. "What do I do now?"

This time Sirius was the one to lay his hand on her shoulder in comfort. He told her softly

"There is one way that you can be out of Fudge's control and still have me around to protect you."

She gazed into his grey eyes and asked the question, the two words, that would change her life forever.

"What way?"

.

.

The man lay in a heap on the marble floor.

His robes, once flawless and impeccable, were now torn and stained beyond repair. His platinum hair, once long and neat, was now dirty, tangled, and roughly hacked off in places. His face that was once handsome was now bruised and battered beyond resemblance. His stormy silver eyes that once held an air of superiority were now filled with agony and fear. His cane was gone and he had no wand on his person.

Voldemort stood over this man with his wand in hand, his red eyes narrowed on him.

"Please…my lord…" The silver eyed, platinum haired man shamelessly begged Voldemort. "I...tried-"

"You've failed me Lucius." Voldemort coldly stated, the rage evident in his tone. "I told you to keep an eye on Fudge and you failed me. Now because of you Harry Potter was forced to marry her godfather."

"My Lord...there was simply no way-"

_"CRUCIO!"_

The man's body was hit full center with the curse and he screamed and thrashed out in agony. Voldemort showed no emotion of seeing one of his top Death Eaters in unbelievable pain. Finally after a couple of minutes of sheer torture, Voldemort ended the spell.

The man was groaning in pain and panting heavily, his body no doubt still suffering the after effects of the Cruciatus Curse.

"I've had enough of your pathetic excuses." Voldemort said as he raised his wand over the man, his tone chillingly final. "You've disappointed me for the last time Lucius."

The man's stormy silver eyes widened in true terror as he realized what Voldemort was going to do.

"No…my Lord I beg of you-"

But his pleads came upon deaf ears. With a flash of green light, Voldemort ended the man's life.

"Avada Kedavra."

.

.

"What is it Harry? What did you see?"

It was like Deja Vu all over again with Sirius's worried gray eyes over her and her scar burning like mad but Harry had no time to ponder it.

"Lucius Malfoy is dead." Harry bluntly said.

_**Author's Note: Reviews please!**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own many things but Harry Potter is not one of them! Enjoy the story!**

The ground was warm and damp under her feet. It was the first day of Autumn.

It was early morning and Harry was currently walking barefoot in the Forbidden Forest. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the air was crisp, and there was a sweet smell perfuming the air. She had been there for hours just strolling around, taking in the beautiful sights, waving at the centaurs, greeting the mermaids, and petting all the animals that came up to her.

It seems everyone in the forest was delighted to see their new Erlqueen despite even after what happened to their Erlking and what he's done to them. Harry wondered if the Wizarding World would be that hospitable too?

She stole a glance at the palm of her right hand, signing as she did so. What was there was yet another reminder of Voldemort, like her scar, only much, _much_ worse. It was a constant note to her that her time was running short. That once summer rolled in Voldemort would be coming to make his claim on her.

Harry shuddered.

Suddenly she yearned for the good old days when all Voldemort wanted to do was kill her.

_"Hem hem."_

Harry turned at the sound and saw Dolores Umbridge, the new High Inquisitor of Hogwarts. A made up position by Fudge to keep an eye on her and Dumbledore. Harry had never met her before but she saw her picture in the Daily Prophet the day she was given her position. Harry noted she looked like a smug toad in pink cashmere and Sirius told her she was responsible for making Remus's life hell with her introduction to new anti-werewolf laws.

Needless to say Harry hated her before she even met her.

"Yes?" Harry coldly asked, the sight of all that pink making her inwardly gag.

Her fake bubbly tone send a shudder down Harry's spine.

"Well Mrs. Black being a fifth year student I need not remind you that the Forbidden Forest is forbidden to _all_ students."

Mrs. Black. Harry didn't think she'd ever get used to being called that. It was hard to believe she was now a married woman. It was even harder to believe that she had actually been forced to marry her own godfather.

Why was life so unspeakably cruel to her?

"I have special permission-"

"Oh yes your inheritance." Umbridge rudely interrupted, a look of disgust on her face. "Well I don't know what kind of permission you've obtained but the Minister-"

"The Minister cannot interfere with Hogwarts policies." Harry rudely interrupted back, inwardly fuming at the way this bigoted woman was treating her. "You and I both know that very well."

"Detention-"

"You also cannot give me a detention." Harry cooly interrupted again, narrowing her emerald eyes at her. "You are _not_ a teacher here."

Her toad face turned red in rage.

"How dare you, you filthy-"

But whatever terrible thing she was about to say to Harry was interrupted by the sound of Sirius's voice. They both turned to see Sirius running straight towards her, passing Umbridge while sending her a glare, and quickly grabbing Harry.

"Harry there you are! What are you doing barefoot? Oh never mind." He started running back towards the castle, dragging Harry along with him. "Come on we have to leave now if we're going to make the train."

"Make the train?" She replied confused, her breath in pants, trying to keep up with his speed. "But I'm already at Hogwarts!"

"The Minister has enacted a new policy that all students, unless gravely ill, must take the train to Hogwarts or miss the year." Sirius gritted out, his grey eyes narrowed in anger. "Teachers, like myself, must find a more alternate means of travel."

Harry signed. It seems Fudge was unrelenting in his quest to get Harry out of Hogwarts. She caught a glance at Sirius's watch as it was reflecting in the sunlight.

It was 11:53 a.m. The train left at 12.

Damn.

.

.

"What-what was that?"

Harry and Sirius were soaked to the bone by some strange glowing water that hit them as soon as they walked into the platform. They seemed to be the only ones wet, the platform was deserted except for a few Aurors. Harry guessed everybody else was all on the train, not wanting to take a risk of missing it thus missing the entire school year.

"It's called 'The Thieves Downfall'." Sirius rapidly explained as he dried them both, then quickly ushered Harry onto train. "It cancels out all enchantments and concealments. It's for everyone's protection and safety."

They passed by several Aurors on the platform looking at Harry in wonder and amazement. Sirius growled at them all and covered Harry with his cloak, hiding her face from view. He escorted her to an empty compartment inside the train. He quickly waved his wand around the room muttering spells.

"Are Hermione and Ron-"

"They're prefects. They have their own compartment in the front." Sirius explained to her as the Hogwarts Express blew it's loud whistle signaling it was about to leave the station. "I'll see you in a couple of hours and this door will remained locked until you arrive at Hogsmeade Station."

The door was slammed shut, the train began it's journey to Hogwarts, and Harry was left alone in silence.

Still barefoot.

.

.

It was the same room Voldemort murdered Tracey Davis and Lucius Malfoy in.

Though this time a completely different person now occupied the room with Voldemort. He was a greasy haired man with a large hook nose and long billowing black robes that made him look like an oversize bat. He was bowing before Voldemort who was standing over him, his wand clenched tightly in his hand, his red eyes narrowed on him.

Two figures hovered above them, bound tightly by magical chains.

"You remember the plan Severus." Voldemort said to him.

"Yes my Lord." He faithfully responded.

"And you know what's at stake if you fail?" Voldemort said darkly, glaring at his form with his dark red eyes.

"Yes my Lord." He faithfully replied again.

"Severus," Voldemort said to him. "I understand she now resembles the Mudblood mother you were so fond of."

"I feel nothing for her My Lord." The greasy haired man responded.

A simple wordless curse from Voldemort had him tumbling to the ground in agony.

_"Do not lie to me!"_ Voldemort loudly hissed at him, his red eyes narrowing down on the greasy haired man's anguish filled form, so much anger and rage emitting from his voice. "I _know_ you desire the girl." There was a long horror filled pause before Voldemort finally said, much more calmly. "But I forgive your transaction. After all she is an Erlqueen, such is to be expected. You are my most faithful servant Snape, you have never failed me before. But should you fail me now what I did to Lucius will be a simple ear twisting compared to what I'm going to do to _you_."

.

.

"Harry wake up."

Harry yawned slowing waking up from her slumber. She blearily opened her eyes to see Sirius standing over her.

"Harry it's me Sirius." Sirius gently told her as he lifted her up bridal style. "We're at Hogsmeade station. You're the first one they're letting leave."

Sirius carried her past several Aurors to the carriages where the Thestrals were happily snacking on some meat they had been given.

"Um thank you." Harry said as a small blush came to her face at the Aurors whistles and lucid remarks about them. Sirius snarled at them in response and was about to shout his indignation when suddenly someone appeared near the carriage that send Harry's heart dropping and Sirius into silence.

Minister Cornelius Fudge himself.

"Mrs. Black, may I have a word with you?" He smoothly asked, his brown eyes narrowing on Harry's green ones.

"Minister Fudge." Harry coldly replied, looking away from him. "I have nothing to say to you."

Suddenly she felt a hand roughly and painfully clench her arm.

"Surely you can spare five minutes-"

"If you don't remove your hand from my wife's arm Minister you will force me to duel you." Harry had never heard Sirius's voice so cold or seen his eyes so hard. "And you know how Blacks duel Minister."

The Minister let go as if her arm as if she had Dragonpox. Sirius quickly ushered the Thestrals to go and they took off like wildfire. Thestrals were extremely fast if they were urged right.

"Duel him?" Harry said as she rubbed the red mark on her arm that Fudge's grip left. Sirius worriedly looked at her.

"Yes a fight for your honor." Sirius told her, grabbing her arm and waving his wand over it. The mark disappeared. "Though, truthfully, it wouldn't be much of a fight."

Before anything else could be said, they had passed the gates of Hogwarts and Harry was drenched in very familiar glowing water.

"Oh damn!" She sputtered as it got into her mouth. It was _the_ most disgusting thing she's ever tasted.

"Oh sorry I forgot to tell you." Sirius apologetically said, a small grin on his face as water dripped from him. "They put one in here too."

_**Author's Note: Reviews please!**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**__** Enjoy!**_

As soon as they were safe in Sirius's private quarters, she told Sirius everything about the dream she had with Voldemort. She wanted to wait until they were alone and under the safety of his wards to tell him. The last thing she wanted to do was be overheard, especially by Fudge or that toad woman, taking about Voldemort. As soon as she finished, Sirius's face turned pale. He uttered a few curses before quickly flooing out, most likely to go see Dumbledore.

She signed. Thinking about Dumbledore always left a knot in her stomach. She forcibly drew herself away from her depressing thoughts and hopped in the shower. After walking in the forest for hours and that disgusting glowing waterfall falling on her, she needed a hot shower to wash all the dirt and grime away. She soaked in there for a good half hour until she was finally ready to come out. After a while, when she was finished dressing, Sirius flooed in. He assured her that the bound people she saw in her dream were fine but he refused to tell her who it was. He then grabbed her and led her out of the castle and into the spacious grounds. There was literally no one in sight, they didn't run into anybody. She understood, everyone was most likely at the feast. But what she didn't understand was why _they_ weren't heading there. Not that she was in any particular rush to get there and face more rejection from her friends, mind you.

"Where are we going?" She asked confused as she tried to keep up with his speed.

"To the Shrieking Shack." Sirius simply responded as he came up to the Whomping Willow.

"What?" She questioned bewildered as she was pulled down the secret passageway. "Why?"

"Dumbledore says Snivellus has something important to share with you that is for your ears only that apparently he can only do there." He gritted out, then added softly when he saw her eyes widen in fear. "Don't worry it'll be fine. The Shrieking Shack is protected heavily by wards and I'll be right outside the door."

All too soon she was inside the Shrieking Shack, inside the very room in third year when her spell knocked Snape out no less, staring at a figure decked out in black right in front of her. Sirius was waiting right outside the door but she was still fearful. Why did Snape want to meet her in the Shrieking Shack, _beyond_ the wards of Hogwarts instead of _inside_ it? Something about this thing didn't feel right, especially after the dream with him and Voldemort she had, but then again her godfather would _never ever_ let anything bad happen to her, he's proved it time and time again. Just glancing at the gold ring on her finger proved how far Sirius was willing to go to protect her. It was most likely just her nerves getting the best of her.

"Snape?" She warily said, clenching her wand tightly, inching closer towards the figure. "Is that you?"

The figure turned and sure enough greasy hair, sallow skin, and a large hook nose greeted her. It was Snape all right.

"Esmeralda." Snape said to her as if tasting the name.

She felt her fists clench in anger. Being reminded of her new forced name change enacted by the Minister made her furious all over again. The thought that her name, the only thing that was normal in her messed up life, was stolen by the Minister and replaced with something entirely different was enough to drive her insane. She couldn't even say or write her former name as it was magically erased. How they did that with names she had no clue. Sirius half heartedly tried to cheer her up, told her a rose by any other name broke just as much rules and it was only until the Minister was booted from his position.

Or killed.

But she tried not to let it get to her. That would be exactly what the Minister and his toad woman would want, an excuse to drag her out of Hogwarts. She had lived through trolls, dragons, huge spiders, Dementors, and not to mention Voldemort himself. She could live by a different name. At least for now until she got her real one back.

"Yes it's me." Esmeralda forced out, drawing her rage back and concentrating on the Death Eater in front of her. "What did you want to share with me?"

"Esmeralda, what do you know of a Wizarding marriage?"

His question threw her completely.

"Um...it's a marriage involving magical people?" She answered lamely, looking at Snape in confusion. _This_ is what he wanted to share with her?

"Besides that." Snape signed at the blank look on her face and said. "Esmeralda are you familiar with the term 'consummate'?"

Esmeralda froze like a deer caught in headlights.

"Y-yes." She managed to squeak out, her face blushing red.

"Do you know that a Wizarding marriage has to be consummated within 24 hours in order to be valid?"

_"What?"_

"Yes." Snape replied, nodding his head. "Those are the laws. If it isn't consummated, it can be annulled."

Esmeralda could tell from her past years with Snape that he wasn't joking in the slightest. Terror struck her heart like lightning.

"Oh God." She choked out, fear rushing through her veins, glancing at the closed doorway which her godfather was suppose to be right behind. "Did Sirius-"

"No he did not." Snape reassured her and Esmeralda let out a breath she didn't know she took. "Had he done it The Dark Lord would of slaughtered him by now."

There was absolutely no doubt in Esmeralda's mind that he would. Her memories of what he did to Tracey for just speaking out and Lucius for failing to know of the adoption kept flashing through her mind. Imagine what he would have done to Sirius for doing..._that_ to her. Oh God Sirius adopted her knowing he would have to sleep with her. Was her situation truly that desperate?

"Why the secrecy? Why's he doing all this?" She suddenly asked Snape, her mind snapping back to Voldemort. "Why not just kill Fudge and try to take over the Ministry? He has enough power. Why the charade?"

"The Dark Lord has his own reasons." Was all Snape said.

Esmeralda leaned against the doorway, the days (And months) events suddenly becoming too much for her.

"So now what?" She wearily asked, slumping down the door, her head in her hands. "I think it's safe to say I can't stay married or get married again and when the marriage is annulled, Fudge will simply adopt me."

And if Fudge adopted her, she was as good as dead. She'd be better off with Voldemort. The irony of the situation overwhelmed her.

"Fudge will not be able to adopt you."

Esmeralda let out a short bitter laugh at Snape's remark and looked over at him.

"And what, pray tell, will stop him from doing it?"

As soon as that statement was out of her mouth, she saw movement out of the corner of her eyes. Esmeralda quickly turned but before she could raise her wand she was magically bound completely from head to toe. She couldn't move one muscle.

"Good work Severus." A very cold, very familiar voice said.

Suddenly she was face to face with the figure of her nightmares, his red eyes reawakening her horrible memories of the graveyard.

"Now then my beauty." Voldemort told her and she saw in his hands a silver ring with green snakes decorated on it and a bouquet of black roses. "Are you ready to proceed?"

_**Author's Note: Didn't see that coming did you? Harry is now Esmeralda and will continue to be throughout the next upcoming chapters. Reviews please!**_


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